4th of July

A few weeks ago I had an amazing honor. I went up to Washington to watch with a good portion of my family as my cousin took her oath of office and was officially commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

I might be pretty good with words but there's no way to describe how proud I was of her in this moment. It was hard to hold back tears as her dad, also in the Air Force, saluted her for the first time. Here she is, a beautiful, smart, accomplished twenty-one year old, graduating college with a bachelor's of science and going straight into the military as an officer.

There were eleven officers being commissioned and it occurred to me what an amazing thing this is. That these eleven young people are not only willing to serve but willing to lead. They will head into the military knowing that they may be called upon to lay down their lives for our freedom. Not only that but they know that they'll be leading others who may be called upon to do the same. And they're willing to take on all that entails.

And why? Why do they do that?

Sure there's the fact that the military helps pay for school and it gives you job training, etc. That's not a reason to risk your life though. I believe that they do it for same reason so many people join the armed forces every day, because they believe in this country, they believe in our freedom and they believe in defending those things. Even if it means at the expense of their own lives.

This coming week as you celebrate Independence Day remember my cousin, the other young officers, and our military personnel all over the world, past and present. They are the reason we get to be free.

Today I just want to say thank you to them and their families for the amazing sacrifices that they make to keep the United States of America the home of the brave and the land of the free.
Happy Independence Day everyone.

Father's Day (Yes I Know I'm a Week Late)

Okay so I'm a week late on my Father's Day post but in good news I didn't actually forget Father's Day I just forgot to write about it. There's been a lot going on- you'll have to cut me some slack.

Fathers aren't perfect. 

Think about Biblical fathers for a moment. 

Adam was the first man and therefore the first father. One of his son's killed the other so there's a legacy. Yikes!

David is one of the most highly revered men in the Bible but have you read the accounts of his kids? They were a mess. I mean seriously, you think your kids are messed up? Go read about his, you'll feel better. 

Even Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, was by all accounts, a really amazing guy. But when Jesus was twelve and the family went to Jerusalem Joseph and Mary didn't know Jesus had stayed behind for three days. That wouldn't exactly win him any father-of-the-year awards today, would it?

The thing with Father's is they don't have to be perfect. So here's my advice to dads. 

1. Be there. Even if you can't be there physically for some reason find a way to be there for your kids. Video chat, phone calls, letters, whatever. Find a way to be there for your kids. And don't stop being there for them just because they turn eighteen and move out. The best dads are the ones who's kids know that they'll always be there for them, no matter how far away they might be or how old the kid is.

2. Let them know you love them. No matter what happens or what they do, always make sure your kids know how much you love them. Trust me, love covers many sins. The Bible tells us so. 1 Peter 4:8

3. When you make mistakes, and you will, try to do it differently the next time. Kids are humans too and like any relationship we appreciate it when, if you mess up, you say you're sorry and try to do better the next time. 

4. Pray for them. Like any relationship the very best thing that you can do for your kids is pray for them and also, teach them a relationship with Christ and for them to pray also. 

So why can I give advice to fathers? Because, while he may not be perfect, I have an amazing dad who has always been there, has always let me know he loves me, has made mistakes but has tried to do better in the future and who has and continues to pray for me. Thanks Dad for being you. And thanks to all the dads out there who are working hard to be there and be better men for their kiddos. Happy Father's Day! Even if it is a week late.

Broken Pieces

Last week during a talk with a friend she told me an amazing story.

I don't know if I'll get the details right or what country it's from so please just bear with me.

The story goes that in some country in Asia when a piece of pottery breaks they don't take the broken shard and glue it back into place. Instead they mold a piece of gold to replace the shard and put that in the empty space instead. The effect is that even as more pieces break off the pottery becomes more valuable instead of less because it's been replaced with gold instead of clay.

Isn't that an amazing picture of what God does with us? We go through things in life that break us and we cry out asking God why He won't piece us back together. But the reason is because He allowed us to be broken so He could fill that empty space with something far more precious and valuable then we could ever imagine.

The more God breaks us the more He is fashioning us into a much more precious and valuable vessel to carry His word, His light and His Spirit into the world.

Trials will come but they have a purpose. Not just to break you but to mold you in His image.

The Smallest Person

In the first Lord of the Rings movie there's an amazing quote. Lady Galadriel the Lady of the Wood says to Frodo- "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

It makes me think of those verses in Jeremiah 1:5-10
"'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'
'Alas, Soverign Lord,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am too young.'
But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, "I am to young." You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

God uses people. He uses confident and timid people. He uses young and old, smart and dumb, people of all sizes and shapes and types. People with amazing talents and severe handicaps, He can and does use them all.

He will use you too. You just have to be willing and He will use you for great things. Maybe not great in the eyes of the world but great in the eyes of the King. And that is what truly matters.

God the Defender

Recently I started reading in the minor prophets. This is my mom's favorite group in the Bible, she loves reading the minor prophets- me, not so much. I have a hard time finding things that relate to my walk with Christ in these books. However while I was reading in Malachi something really jumped out at me and I couldn't help but share it today.

Malachi 2:13, 14

"Another thing you do: You flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant."

Verses 15-17 continue in this vein but it's these first two verses I want to talk about today. 

Malachi talks about how these men are flooding the Lord's altar with tears. That is a very emotional response. This is not just a passing sadness. They are suffering. And why are they suffering? Why are they weeping and wailing?

"You weep and wail be he no longer looks with favor on your offering or accepts them with pleasure from your hands."

God has rejected them. He's rejected their offering and is punishing them. He's doing this because these men have rejected their wives. They have betrayed the women they swore before God that they would protect.

There are so many injustices in this world, it can be hard to see how such a loving God can allow bad things to happen. Passages like this one in Malachi remind of us something incredibly important but often forgotten. God defends us. He defends the ones who can't stand up for themselves. He brings judgement on their oppressors.

In the time that these verses were written these women didn't have many options to pursue in light of their husband's betrayal. But God didn't just abandon them. He saw their tears and heartbreak and He brought swift judgement on those hurting the ones He loved.

God still defends us today. Even when we can defend ourselves. Sometimes it's through His judgement or sometimes it's through others standing up for us. God has placed people in our lives that fight for us and help us when we can't stand on our own. He never abandons us, He is always with us, ready to fight for us. Go to Him with your problems and seek refuge in the One who will fight for you and defend the righteous, just as He always has.